Assessing the accessibility of E-learning

Equal participation for people with special needs is an important objective in education politics. Governments have a strong emphasis on enabling education for all citizens. The trend of using e-learning both for on campus and remote delivery of students has the potential of enabling new opportunities for people who previously faced challenges following education. On the other hand, providing online education bears the risk of creating new barriers. This paper examines different stages of providing educational content and delivering teaching material online. This is based on practical experiences from Noroff University College providing a bachelor degree in a security related area. Based on both practical experiences and state of the art literature review, we analyze potential accessibility barriers, and investigate how the barriers can be identified and removed based on state of the art accessibility measurement techniques. Consequently, this paper is a first step towards a methodology on assessing e-learning content based on accessibility. This methodology would assist others in obtaining an overview concerning the degree of accessibility of their own learning materials

Accounting for Social Anxiety in the Online IT Security and Digital Forensics Educational Domain

No one could have anticipated the speed at which technology and social media have developed over the past thirty years. This increased use of technology and social media affectst today's students in some ways. We are now in a spiral that is hard to get out of, and the more we implement technology and ways for people to carry out daily tasks from behind a screen, the fewer people might go out and socialise with the world. Losing the requirement to interact with other human beings means losing the training areas for face-to-face interaction, which could mean losing the ability to be a social member of humanity. The lack of training areas for social activities is especially bad for young adults who already struggle with social anxiety. The primary treatment for this condition is cognitive therapy which moves towards handling the situations that provoke anxiety rather than avoiding them. A drastic increase in the number of devices connected to the Internet affects the need for IT security and digital forensics experts. Moving education online means that many young adults will find themselves doing IT security and digital forensics-related topics in an online environment. Many of these students will have psychological challenges of different sorts. This research aims not to solve these issues, as they are far too complicated for one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, the study seeks to shed light on students' different social anxieties in an online environment and discuss our new online and technology-driven world's psychological effects on young adults. Educators that develop programs or content and learning material, and deliver the content and teaching, must understand some of the mechanisms surrounding these issues and be aware of the challenges that cause many students to struggle. Although this awareness is valuable and necessary in other areas, as well as IT security and digital forensics education in online domains, it is perhaps logical to focus on this first. The increased need for professionals in this area and the common idea that one can do this work remotely seem tempting for people who struggle with face-to-face social interactions. The results from a questionnaire form the basis of interviews with students with recognised social anxiety. Interviews with online students in general also help this research hopefully enlighten educators to make a difference for many online students in IT security and digital forensics domain and many students in general. This researcher published a questionnaire on the school's learning platform based on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. The responses show that only around twenty-five per cent of the student cohort has a score indicating that Social Anxiety Disorder is not probable. The low percentage means that a potentially significant portion of students has social anxiety-related challenges at some level. This research also shows that not only online students have this problem. The issues are also present among campus-based students, in fact, more present among campus students, which is surprising. The recent outbreak of Covid-19, pushing students into an online environment they might not have wanted in the first place, also has had a considerable impact. Republishing the questionnaire for comparison for IT and non-IT students during the Covid-19 epidemic and examining the results using SPSS shows only minor differences between the cohorts asked before the Covid-19 epidemic and those asked during the Covid-19 epidemic, with no apparent differences between IT students and non-IT students

A forensic overview of the LG Smart TV

The emerging Smart TV platform will likely replace traditional television sets over time as the entertainment and communication centrepiece in people’s homes. Given its expanded functionality and now, its online presence, there is a need to identify how they may become part of forensic investigations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the area of Smart TVs and the potential forensic value these systems present in combination with their ever advancing functionality and capabilities. We provide an overview of Smart TV systems highlighting functionality and potential issues. We also take an initial look at two particular models, from the same manufacturer, to highlight the different range of material that may be available to the forensic examiner and provide an outline to investigators of the steps necessary to ensure relevant forensic data can be captured for processing, as part of an investigation. We then discuss the need for future work to improve access for forensic investigators

Exercise-induced Laryngeal Obstruction: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Treatment Trial

Background: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is a common cause of exertional breathing problems in young individuals, caused by paradoxical inspiratory adduction of laryngeal structures, and diagnosed by continuous visualization of the larynx during high-intensity exercise. Empirical data suggest that EILO consists of different subtypes, possibly requiring different therapeutic approaches. Currently applied treatments do not rest on randomized controlled trials, and international guidelines based on good evidence can therefore not be established. This study aims to provide evidence-based information on treatment schemes commonly applied in patients with EILO. Methods and Analysis: Consenting patients consecutively diagnosed with EILO at Haukeland University Hospital will be randomized into four non-invasive treatment arms, based on promising reports from non-randomized studies: (A) standardized information and breathing advice only (IBA), (B) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training, (C) IBA plus speech therapy, and (D) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training and speech therapy. Differential effects in predefined EILO subtypes will be addressed. Patients failing the non-invasive approach and otherwise qualifying for surgical treatment by current department policy will be considered for randomization into (E) standard or (F) minimally invasive laser supraglottoplasty or (G) no surgery. Power calculations are based on the main outcomes, laryngeal adduction during peak exercise, rated by a validated scoring system before and after the interventions. Ethics and Dissemination: The study will assess approaches to EILO treatments that despite widespread use, are insufficiently tested in structured, verifiable, randomized, controlled studies, and is therefore considered ethically sound. The study will provide knowledge listed as a priority in a recent statement issued by the European Respiratory Society, requested by clinicians and researchers engaged in this area, and relevant to 5–7% of young people. Dissemination will occur in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant media platforms and conferences, and by engaging with patient organizations and the healthcare bureaucracy.publishedVersio

The impact of changing technology on international cybersecurity curricula

Cyber Security degree programs vary in scope; from those that are constructed around traditional computer science degrees with some additional security content, to those that are strongly focused on the need to develop a dedicated cyber security professional. The latter programs typically include a grounding in computer science concepts such as programming, operating systems and networks to specialised security content covering such disparate areas as digital forensics, information assurance, penetration testing and cryptography. The cyber security discipline as a whole faces new challenges as technology continues to evolve, and therefore significant changes are being faced by educators trying to incorporate the latest technological concepts into courses. This presents cybersecurity educators with a number of related challenges to ensure that changes to degree programs reflect not only the educational needs of students, but of the needs of industry and government. The evolving use of technology therefore presents both opportunities and problems, in how these changes are demonstrated in the curriculum. This paper highlights the accreditation, standards and guidelines (from three of the countries where the authors of this paper have sought accreditation) that shape the way educators are encouraged to develop and structure degree courses and considers these in lieu of factors relating to incorporating new technology in cybersecurity curriculum, particularly in the presentation of technical exercises to students

Exercise-induced Laryngeal Obstruction: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Treatment Trial

Background: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is a common cause of exertional breathing problems in young individuals, caused by paradoxical inspiratory adduction of laryngeal structures, and diagnosed by continuous visualization of the larynx during high-intensity exercise. Empirical data suggest that EILO consists of different subtypes, possibly requiring different therapeutic approaches. Currently applied treatments do not rest on randomized controlled trials, and international guidelines based on good evidence can therefore not be established. This study aims to provide evidence-based information on treatment schemes commonly applied in patients with EILO. Methods and Analysis: Consenting patients consecutively diagnosed with EILO at Haukeland University Hospital will be randomized into four non-invasive treatment arms, based on promising reports from non-randomized studies: (A) standardized information and breathing advice only (IBA), (B) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training, (C) IBA plus speech therapy, and (D) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training and speech therapy. Differential effects in predefined EILO subtypes will be addressed. Patients failing the non-invasive approach and otherwise qualifying for surgical treatment by current department policy will be considered for randomization into (E) standard or (F) minimally invasive laser supraglottoplasty or (G) no surgery. Power calculations are based on the main outcomes, laryngeal adduction during peak exercise, rated by a validated scoring system before and after the interventions. Ethics and Dissemination: The study will assess approaches to EILO treatments that despite widespread use, are insufficiently tested in structured, verifiable, randomized, controlled studies, and is therefore considered ethically sound. The study will provide knowledge listed as a priority in a recent statement issued by the European Respiratory Society, requested by clinicians and researchers engaged in this area, and relevant to 5–7% of young people. Dissemination will occur in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant media platforms and conferences, and by engaging with patient organizations and the healthcare bureaucracy

Exercise-induced Laryngeal Obstruction: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Treatment Trial

Background: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is a common cause of exertional breathing problems in young individuals, caused by paradoxical inspiratory adduction of laryngeal structures, and diagnosed by continuous visualization of the larynx during high-intensity exercise. Empirical data suggest that EILO consists of different subtypes, possibly requiring different therapeutic approaches. Currently applied treatments do not rest on randomized controlled trials, and international guidelines based on good evidence can therefore not be established. This study aims to provide evidence-based information on treatment schemes commonly applied in patients with EILO. Methods and Analysis: Consenting patients consecutively diagnosed with EILO at Haukeland University Hospital will be randomized into four non-invasive treatment arms, based on promising reports from non-randomized studies: (A) standardized information and breathing advice only (IBA), (B) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training, (C) IBA plus speech therapy, and (D) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training and speech therapy. Differential effects in predefined EILO subtypes will be addressed. Patients failing the non-invasive approach and otherwise qualifying for surgical treatment by current department policy will be considered for randomization into (E) standard or (F) minimally invasive laser supraglottoplasty or (G) no surgery. Power calculations are based on the main outcomes, laryngeal adduction during peak exercise, rated by a validated scoring system before and after the interventions. Ethics and Dissemination: The study will assess approaches to EILO treatments that despite widespread use, are insufficiently tested in structured, verifiable, randomized, controlled studies, and is therefore considered ethically sound. The study will provide knowledge listed as a priority in a recent statement issued by the European Respiratory Society, requested by clinicians and researchers engaged in this area, and relevant to 5–7% of young people. Dissemination will occur in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant media platforms and conferences, and by engaging with patient organizations and the healthcare bureaucracy

Exercise-induced Laryngeal Obstruction: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Treatment Trial

Background: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is a common cause of exertional breathing problems in young individuals, caused by paradoxical inspiratory adduction of laryngeal structures, and diagnosed by continuous visualization of the larynx during high-intensity exercise. Empirical data suggest that EILO consists of different subtypes, possibly requiring different therapeutic approaches. Currently applied treatments do not rest on randomized controlled trials, and international guidelines based on good evidence can therefore not be established. This study aims to provide evidence-based information on treatment schemes commonly applied in patients with EILO. Methods and Analysis: Consenting patients consecutively diagnosed with EILO at Haukeland University Hospital will be randomized into four non-invasive treatment arms, based on promising reports from non-randomized studies: (A) standardized information and breathing advice only (IBA), (B) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training, (C) IBA plus speech therapy, and (D) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training and speech therapy. Differential effects in predefined EILO subtypes will be addressed. Patients failing the non-invasive approach and otherwise qualifying for surgical treatment by current department policy will be considered for randomization into (E) standard or (F) minimally invasive laser supraglottoplasty or (G) no surgery. Power calculations are based on the main outcomes, laryngeal adduction during peak exercise, rated by a validated scoring system before and after the interventions. Ethics and Dissemination: The study will assess approaches to EILO treatments that despite widespread use, are insufficiently tested in structured, verifiable, randomized, controlled studies, and is therefore considered ethically sound. The study will provide knowledge listed as a priority in a recent statement issued by the European Respiratory Society, requested by clinicians and researchers engaged in this area, and relevant to 5–7% of young people. Dissemination will occur in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant media platforms and conferences, and by engaging with patient organizations and the healthcare bureaucracy